Method of and apparatus for extracting juice from whole citrus fruit and excluding atmosphere from contact therewith



Feb. 6, 1951 w. A.-PlPKlN 2,540,345

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING JUICE FROM WHOLE CITRUS FRUIT AND EXCLUDING ATMOSPHERE FROM CONTACT THEREWITH Filed July 3, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 6, 1951 w. A. PIPKIN 2,540,345

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING JUICE FROM WHOLE CITRUS FRUIT AND EXCLUDING ATMOSPHERE FROM CONTACT THEREWITH Filed July 3, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I32 E 63 V as V ,5,

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METHOD OF AND APPAFATI'Js FOR EXTRACTING JUICE FROM WHOLE CITRUS FRUIT AND EXCLUDING ATMOSPHERE FROM CONTACT THEREWITH Feb. 6, 1951 w. A. PIPKIN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING JUICE FROM WHOLE CITRUS FRUIT AND EXCLUDING ATMOSPHERE FROM CONTACT THEREWITH 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 3, 1944 3 A? 5 6 w m war a M 7 w a M. W 5 m w v 7% a w n M. \ws W W M w MM M M W- 5 K \v v. m I; j a w 7/. 7 2 w. w/ k w wwwfim w 9 a. a F a n Z 4 m g g;

w. A. PlPKlN 2, OF AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING JUICE CITRUS FRUIT AND EXCLUDING RE FROM CONTACT THEREWITH Feb. 6, 1951 METHOD FROM WHOLE ATMOSPHE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 5, 1944 Patented Feb. 6, 1951 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EX- TRACTING JUICE FROM WHOLE CITRUS FRUIT AND EXCLUDING ATMOSPHERE FROM CONTACT THEREWITH Wilbur A. lfipkin, Safety Harbor, Fla. ApplicationJuly 3, 1944, Serial No. 543,395

Claims. (Cl. 99-105) This invention relates to the extraction of juice from whole citrus fruit. 7.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of and apparatus for extracting juice from whole citrus fruit in which contamination of the juice by contact with air in the extraction process is prevented.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the axis of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3isan enlarged fragmentary detailed view of an extraction mechanism of the invention and illustrating a means for sealing off the juicereceiving chamber from the atmosphere.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the same plane as Fig. 3 and showing a pair of cups of the apparatus in inter-digitating relation with a carcass of a citrus fruit confined between the cups as occurs at the moment a juice extraction operation is completed.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 and showing said cups in separated relation as when the carcass of a citrus fruit is being ejected from the cups.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic plan view of the fruit feeding and carcass ejecting mechanism of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic, enlarged, elevational view of the carcass ejector of the invention and is taken in the direction of arrow 8 in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the lower cup of one of the juice extracting mechanisms of the invention.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the apparatus of this invention as shown therein, is embodied in a peel oil and juice extractor Hi. This includes a pedestal IS, a central opening I! of which receives a boss I8 of a cap plate I9 having a cam wall 20. Fixed in a central bore 2| of the boss I8 is a shaft 22 to the upper end of which is fixed a head casting 23. The head casting 23 has arms 26 which are connected by rods 21 to the pedestal M5 to rigidly unite and properly space the pedestal Hi from the head casting 23. The head casting supports a motor 28 which is connected through belts 29 and pulley 30 to a shaft 3| which through bevel-gears 32 and 33 rotates a shaft 34 carrying a master pinion 35.

Collars 38 surrounding the rods 21 and positioned vertically thereon by nuts 39 are formed integral with and support a lower annular cam 44. This cam is connected by brackets 45 to an upper cam 46 so that the upper cam is forced upwardly into assembled relation with the head casting 23. As shown in Fig. 1, the cam 4'6 is disposed inwardly andconcentric with the cam 40. Resting on the plate I9 is a thrust bearing 41 which supports the rotor 48 of the machine. This rotor includes a rotor platform 49 which rests'directly on the bearing 41, a slideway cylinder 50 having upper and lower hub-like sleeves 5| and 52, the latter extending into the bearing 41 and being keyed to the platform 49 by a key 53. Sleeves 5| and 52 have bushings 54' and 55 which form hearings on the shaft 22. Mounted about the upper sleeve 5| and keyed thereto is a master gear 56 which meshes with the pinion 35.

The rotor platform 49 has an annular downward extension 60 near its outer edge which is provided with a series of twelve bores Bl. Ejector stem guide holes 82 are provided in the platform, one of these being disposed close to each of the bores BI and inwardly therefrom as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The holes 62 are formed in downward extension of and in alignment with slideways 83 provided in the cylinder 50. These slideways are given a T cross section by slide gibs 64 secured to the outer face of the cylinder 58, these gibs having outward extensions 65 formed on upper portions thereof.

The platform 49 is provided with a stainless steel apron 81, having a cylindrical portion 68, which closely surrounds the lower portion of the cylinder 50 and is provided with slots 89 which register with the adjacent lower portions of the slideways 63. The apron 61 also includes a horizontal portion 10 which lies flat against the platform 49 and has holes II which register with the bores 6|. Depending from the outer edge of the apron portion Ill isan annular lip 12.

Each of the bores 6| receives a sleeve 13 having an upper flange l4 and threadedly receiving a nut 15 at its lower end to secure this sleeve in said bore and thus hold the apron 81 rigidly in place on the platform 49. A sheet metal annulus 18 is provided, this having an inverted U cross section to provide downwardly extending walls 19 and 80, and holes which receive the lower ends of the sleeves 13 so that when the nuts 15 are tightened on the latter, the annulus I8 is united with the platform extension 60.

Supported on collars Bl on the rods 21 is an annular oil collecting trough 82 having sleeves 83, which surround the rods 21, and a discharge spout 84. Supported on the trough 82, or in any suitable manner, is an annular juice-receiving trough 81, having concentrically united therewith troughs 88 and 89 into which the walls 19 and extend downwardly. A liquid L is provided in these troughs to form liquid traps which maintain an air tight seal excluding air from the juice-receiving chamber 90 within the trough 81.

Leading from the chamber. 90 to a juice reservoir lI is a tube 92. Also connecting with the reservoir 9| is a juice eduction pipe 93 and a gas supply pipe 94.

Mounted about the rotor 48 is a series of extracting mechanisms 91, each of which includes a lower cup 98 and an upper cup 99. with suitable means for mounting and operating these. As all of the mechanisms 91. are identical, a description of one will suilice for all.

Illustrations of a lower cup 98 may be found in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. This cup includes a stainless steel tube the slee s 13 so as to permanently fix the tube 13 in I is sleeve. Mounted in the upper end of I (see Figs. and 6) is a button cutter aving a central passage I02. an annular end v Su ounding the tube I00 where this extends above the sleeve 13 is a cylindrical cup body I01 series f fingers I09 which are circumferentially arrang d in radial relation with the axis of the cup to orm a cup bowl I III at the bottom of which is loca d the button cutter IN. The fingers I09 are se arated by slots I I I which are slightly wider than the fingers themselves. Certain of the slots III are extended downwardly to form ejector slots I I2. There are preferably twenty-four fingers I09 and slots III in each cup 98 and six of the ejector slots H2.

The fingers I09 may be reinforced as by an annular band I I3 encircling the upper portion of the cup 98. The upper ends of the fingers I09 may be beveled for a purpose to be made clear hereinafter. Fingers I09 preferably have notches II4 provided therein to extend the cylindrical character of the body I01 upwardly as shown in Fig. 6.

Each cup 98 has an ejector II1. This ejector includes a base ring I I8 on which is fixed an actuating arm II9 having a long eye I20 at its outer end. The base ring II8 also has formed thereon a series of ejector blades I2I, each of which lies in one of the ejector slots II2. Each ejector H1 is adapted to rest in a downward position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 or to be elevated into an upper position in which it is shown in Fig. 6. I

When lifted to the latter position, the blades I2I extend upwardly through the bowl IIO of the cup 98 to lift a carcass I22 of an orange upwardly out of this bowl.

Vertically slideable in a lower portion of the slideway 83 adjacent each of the cups 98 is a T-head I23 having a shank I24 which extends downwardly through the slideway 63 and hole 62 in alignment therewith, this shank having a roller I25 mounted on its lower end so that this roller is in vertical alignment with the cam wall 20. The T-head I23 has a long eye I23 formed integral therewith, there being a rod I29 which screws into suitable threads provided in the eye I20 and also extends through the eye I28 and is secured in a given vertical relation therewith by nuts I30.

The cam 20. lifts each roller I25 as the rotor 48 rotates to shift the ejector II1 associated therewith from its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 5 to its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 6 and back again to its lowermost position. The period wherein this takes place will be pointed out hereinafter. When each of the T-heads I23 thus reciprocates, it extends through 75 I03 surrounding the upper end of this, and

. 4 one of the slots 59 in the cylindrical portion 66 of the apron 61. (See Figs. 2 and 3.)

Illustrations of the upper cup 99 may be found in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. Each of these cups is mounted on a T-head I3I sliding in an upper portion of one of the slideways 63. This T-head has a pair of cam follower rollers I32 and I33, the first of ,these following upper cam 46 and the other foll which has a driven fit in one of lowing lower cam 40. (See Fig. 1.)

' The T-head I3I has a bore I34 which is disposed in alignment with the roller I32 and which has a counterbore I31, at the upper end of which, is a shoulder I38. Slideable in the bore I34 is a cup stem I39 in the form of a shaft having an eye slot I40 disposed mainly in said bore, there being a pin I4I mounted in the head I3I and extending through said slot to permit a limited degree of verticalmovement of the stem I39 relative to the head I3I.

The lower end of the stem I39 (see Fig. 3) has an annular flange I42 and a threaded nipple I43 extending axially downward therefrom. Surrounding the stem 9 and resting downwardly on the flange I42 is a tube I41 having a housing head plate I48 flaring outwardly therefrom and carrying a cylindrical housing shell I49. The tube I41 is externally threaded and has screwed thereon a bushing I50 having a longitudinal groove I52 cut therein. Secured in the lower end of bore I31 so as to slideably receive the bushing I50 is a bushing I5I. Screwed into a threaded hole I53, formed in the wall of the bore I31 and in the bushing I5I, is a screw I54 having a guide tit I55 provided on its inner extremity, this tit extending into the guide groove I5I of the bushing (50. Trapped in the counterbore I31 between the upper end of the bushing I50 and the shoulder I38 is a heavy coiled expansive spring I58.

The upper cup 99 (see Figs. 5 and 6) also includes a cup body I59 having a threaded bore I60 into which the nipple I43 screws to assemble the body I59 on the stem I39. The body is held in this assembled relation by a set screw I6I. The body I59 has a series of fingers I62 formed integrally therewith and spaced circumferentially in radial planes with respect to the axis of the cup 99. The inner surfaces of the fingers I62 are shaped to form an inverted bowl I54, the bottom I65 of which may be concave, or fiat, or it may be convex as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. I have found it preferable, however, to make this convex, as shown, for reasons that will be pointed out hereinafter. The fingers I82 are separated i by slots I13 which are slightly wider than the fingers.

Certain of the slots I13 are deepened to form slots I14 in which ejector blades I15 are slideably disposed. These blades are united by a collar I16 which is slideably mounted on the body I59 and is pressed against a shoulder I11 thereof by an expansion spring I18. When the collar I16 is thus yieldably held downward, the ejector blades I15 extend downwardly into the upper cup bowl I64 as shown in Fig. 6.

In each of the mechanisms 91 the upper and lower cups 99 and 98 are co-axial and the upper cupbody I59 is so mounted on the stem I39 that the slots I13 of the upper cup are in alignment with the fingers I09 of the lower cup while the fingers I62 of the upper cup are in alignment with the slots III of the lower cup. The fingers of the upper and lower cups thus by-pass each other in inter-digitating relation when the upper cup 99 is lowered as shown in Fig. 5.

The juice extractor I5 has a whole fruit feed and carcass removing mechanism I80 (see Figs. 1 and 7) which includes a frame I8I provided with suitable bearings in which shafts I82, I83 and I84 are journalled. The shafts I83 and I84 have meshing gears I85 which cause these shafts to rotate in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows on these shafts in Fig. 7. Shafts I82 and I83 have a chain and sprocket connection I88 and the shaft I82 is connected, through gears I81, a shaft I88 and gears I89, to the shaft I3I whereby the mechanism I80 is driven from the motor 28.

The sh 83 extends toward the machine I5 and ye h; space separating the upper and lowe cups of the extracting mechanisms 91 w n the upper cup 99 is elevated as shown in 6. This shaft is provided with a feed screw I 2 and this screw is surrounded by a sheet metal tough I83 into which fruit is fed by gravity ough a chute I 84 and which guides fruit polled by the screw I92, as the latter rotates e inner end of the shaft I 84 extends to a poi t intercepting the axes of the extracting Mounted obliquely on the inner end of shaft I84 is a substantially semi-circular carcass removing blade I98 (see Figs. 7 and 8) which is rotated by the shaft in such timed relation with the rotation of the rotor 48 asto engage each carcass I22 as it travels supported on the ejector blades I2I (see Fig. 6) and throws this outwardly from the machine so that it drops in a chute I 91 provided to receive this.

Operation Before commencing juice extracting operations with the machine I5, the pipe 94 is provided with a continuous supply of inert gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen, both of which are quite cheap and either of which serves the purposes of the invention quite satisfactorily. This gas flows into reservoir 9|, pipe 92 and into the chamber 80, drives the atmosphere from all these, and completely fills them with gas. This gas then starts escaping upwardly from the tubes I00 in the lower cups 98. It is to be understood also that I may employ live steam in lieu of gas thereby not only excluding the atmosphere from chamber 90 but also starting a pasteurizing of the juice. Where used in the claims, the term gas may be construed broadly therefore as nism I80 is, of course, driven in timed relation with the rotor 48 so that the whole fruit received through the chute I 84 is fed one piece at a time into the lower cups 88 as these come underneath the discharge end of feed trough I 93.

When the lower cup of each extraction mechanism 91 thus receives a fresh whole fruit F, the upper cup thereof is in elevated position due to the roller I33 thereof riding on a high point in the lower cam 40. At this time, the roller I25 of this extraction mechanism has rolled downwardly onto the lower portion of the cam (see Fig. 3) so that the ejector H1 is disposed in lower position as shown in Fig. 5. The bowl IIO of the lower cup 88 is thus unobstructed and readily receives the fruit. Almost immediately thereafter, the roller I32 of this mechanism is forced downwardly by engagement with the upper cam 48 to cause the upper cup 99 to move downwardly into inter-digitating relation with the lower cup 98 so that the piece of fruit F therein is surrounded by the fingers of the two cups and compressed by a continuous reduction in the space in the combined bowls H0 and I84 of the two cups.

As the cups come together on this piece of fruit, the pressure between the fruit and the blades I15 in the upper cup prevent further downward movement of these blades with the upper cup, so that these blades are retracted relative to the upper cup and the spring I18 compressed as shown in Fig. 5. The initial compression of the fruit between the cups also impales the fruit on the annular knife I03 so as to cut a button from the rind of the fruit which is forced through the hole I02 of the knife element IOI (see Fig. 5) as the increase of pressure against the outer surface of the fruit breaks down the inner juice structure and compels the juice therein to escape outwardly through the passage I02.

The trapping of a fresh whole fruit in this manner between the upper and lower cups of an extraction mechanism 91 applies pressure to all portions of the fruit outside the area from which a button is cut by the knife I03 in such a uniform manner that the juice-bearing structure is unable to burst through the rind and practically all the juice from this is therefore expelled through the opening through the rind made by the knife I03.

Owing to the fact that the annular juice-receiving chamber 90 and tubes I00 are completely filled with inert gas, the juice thus extracted from the fruit and expelled downwardly therefrom through the passages I02 in the tubes I00 is protected from contact withthe atmosphere.

Fig. 5 illustrates how the convex bottom face I of the cup 99 depresses a portion of the rind of the orange being compressed so as to substantially decrease the space remaining within the rind of the fruit and thereby obtain a greater degree of compression of the fruit with a given movement together of the cups 98 and 88. This makes it possible to secure the desired compression of the orange without too great a scolloping effect on the rind in the plane where the fingers of the respective cups enter inter-digitating relation. This scolloping effect on the rind carcass produced in the extracting operation is indicated in Fig. 6. While this constitutes a laceration of the rind, it does not extend to rupturing the outer envelope of the juice-bearing structure. The latter is thus kept intact and prevented from bursting outwardly through the rind during the compression of the fruit between the cups.

The pressure of the cups on the rind of the fruit in the juice extracting operation ruptures the oil cells and releases the peel oil causing it to spurt outwardly against the fingers of the two cups and the housing I49, the oil then draining from these onto the stainless steel apron 81 from which it flows over the lip 12 into the annular trough 82. The peel oil is thus extracted from the whole fresh fruit and recovered separately from the juice.

As the rotor 48 continues to turn following the completion of the compression step of the process, the roller I33 of each successive mechanism 91 rise in cam 20 which lifts the carcass ejector Ill and the carcass I22 as shown in Fig. 6. Immediately following the elevation of the carcass 122,

this extraction mechanism 91 comes opposite the carcass removing blade I96 which is so timed as to swing downwardly and obliquely against this carcass as it comes directly beneath the shaft I84 thereby sweeping this carcass into the chute I91.

Immediately following this action, the ejector I ll of this cup is lowered and the cup swings into position under the discharge end of the fruit feeding trough I93 where it receives another whole piece of fruit.

From the foregoing description, it'will be seen that I have devised a machine for separately extracting and recovering peel oil and juice from whole citrus fruit which has a relatively high capacity. It is also evident that the juice extracted by this machine in accordance with the method of my invention is protected from contact with the atmosphere so as to eliminate deterioration of the juice from this source.

The upper and lower cups are spaced vertically so as to effectively extract the juice from the smaller sizes of fruit fed to the machine. When a larger piece of fruit is received by a mechanism 91, the spring 158 thereof yields to adapt the cups 98 and 99 to the larger bulk of rind and pulp present in the larger piece of fruit.

I claim:

1. A method of expressing juice from whole citrus fruit which consists in: enclosing a juicereceiving chamber, having an opening therein, forming a hole in the rind of said fruit, accomplishing a sealed communication between said hole and said opening while said fruit is exposed to the atmosphere, filling said chamber with an inert gas, and constricting said fruit to reduce the volume thereof and express a relatively large portion of the juice therein outwardly through said hole and said opening into said chamber by continuously applying compressive forces to all portions of the rind of said fruit outside the area of said hole at points suiiiciently close to prevent the juice-bearing structure within said fruit bursting outwardly through said rind elsewhere than through said hole.

2. A continuous method of extracting juice from a series of whole citrus fruits which comprises: enclosing a juice-receiving chamber, having a relatively small opening therein, discharging a stream of inert gas into said chamber to cause said gas to fill said chamber and then escape through said opening and successively pressing said citrus fruits against said opening to close the same, forming a hole in the rind of each fruit closing said opening which hole communicates with said opening, constricting each fruit when so pressed to force juice from said fruit through said hole and said opening into said chamber, and removing the carcass of each such whole fruit from closing relation with said opening after said constricting step to permit the application of the next whole citrus fruit of said series to said opening.

3. In an apparatus for extracting juice from whole citrus fruit, the combination of: a pair of support means adaptedfor pressurally contacting opposite hemispheres of said fruit to cause said hemispheres to closely conform respectively to said support means and thereby adequately support the rind of said fruit against local outward bursting of said fruit; a structure for holding said support means in relatively movable relation, means located within one of said support means and adapted to form a hole in said rind when 'said fruit is pressed thereagainst; means for, ap-

plying said support means to said fruit to press said fruit against said hole-forming means to form a hole in said rind, and for pressing said support means against opposite hemispheres of said fruit to cause said support means to support said rind as aforesaid and, while maintaining said support, to reduce the volume of the space occupied by said fruit between said support means and thus expel juice therefrom through said hole; means forming a juice passage communicating with said hole-forming means whereby juice expelled from said fruit through said hole is de-- livered into said passage; and means discharging inert gas into said juice passage to produce a superatmospheric pressure of said gas therein whereby said gas fills said passage, excludes the atmosphere from said juice, and flows outwardly into the atmosphere through said hole-forming means whenever the latter is not covered as by a piece of fruit.

4. In an apparatus for extracting juice from whole citrus fruit, the combination of: a rotor; a series of juice extracting units circumferentially provided on said rotor, each of said units com prising a combination as recited in claim 3; means for rotating said rotor; means responsive to 'said rotation for reciprocating one of the support means of each of said units relative to the other support means thereof to cause .each ofsaid units to form a hole in a citrus fruit contained therein and expel juice therefrom through said hole as aforesaid; means for feeding whole "ruit to said units as said rotor is rotated; and an annular trough which communicates with the juice passages of all of said units, said inert gas means delivering gas to said juice passages throughsaid annular trough.

5. A combination as in claim 4 in which said annular trough includes a stationary bottom portion with inner and outer side walls; an annular cover mounted on said rotor and having said individual juice passages formed therein and communicating upwardly with the respective hole-forming means of said units; and means forming a sealing connection between said side walls of said trough and said cover means so as to close the space within said annular trough from the atmosphere.

WILBUR A. PIPKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,925,196 Maull Sept. 5, 1933 1,960,501 Maull May 29, 1934 2,270,007 McKinnis Jan. 13, 1942 2,289,445 McKinnis July 14, 1942 2,332,177 Smith Oct. 19, 1943 2,337,261 McKinnis Dec. 21, 1943 2,346,561 Delay Apr. 11, 1944 2,353,841 McKinnis July 18, 1944 

1. A METHOD OF EXPRESSING JUICE FROM WHOLE CITRUS FRUIT WHICH CONSISTS IN: ENCLOSING A JUICERECEIVING CHAMBER, HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, FORMING A HOLE IN THE RIND OF SAID FRUIT, ACCOMPLISHING A SEALED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID HOLE AND SAID OPENING WHILE SAID FRUIT IS EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE, FILLING SAID CHAMBER WITH AN INERT GAS, AND CONSTRICTING SAID FRUIT TO REDUCE THE VOLUME THEREOF AND EXPRESS A RELATIVELY LARGE PORTION OF THE JUICE THEREIN OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID HOLE AND SAID OPENING INTO SAID CHAMBER BY CONTINUOUSLY APPLYING COMPRESSIVE FORCES TO ALL PORTIONS OF THE RIND OF SAID FRUIT OUTSIDE THE AREA OF SAID HOLE AT POINTS SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE TO PREVENT THE JUICE-BEARING STRUCTURE WITHIN SAID FRUIT BURSTING OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID RIND ELSEWHERE THAN THROUGH SAID HOLE. 